Recipes for Living Richard Diephuis

I was born in Keosauqua, Iowa on November 1, 1968. My parents were Roger and Marita. I was the oldest of three siblings. My two younger brothers were Timothy Scott and Jeremiah John. For the majority of my childhood, my family and I lived in Mt. Sterling, Iowa, just south of Keosauqua. The town had a nickname of Dog Town, U.S.A. because there were more stray dogs than the population of the whole town. For the most part, I had a normal childhood.

I attended Van Buren Community Schools. At the age of 17, I joined the Army Reserves on December 23, 1985 as an "11 Hotel"- in other words, an Infantry soldier who specialized in the operation of a Tubular Optical Sight weapon system. I attended Basic Training the summer of my junior year and Advanced Individual Training (AIT) the summer of my senior year. Basic training was quite an experience, having grown up in rural Iowa and never having the opportunity to meet people of difference cultures and races. That was an eye-opener. My senior year ended with me on crutches, because of surgery on both my knees. I was fortunate enough to have healed prior to AIT. After training I joined the Active Army, traveled to Fort Ord, California in 1987, and was assigned to the 7th Infantry Division.

Fort Ord, California was better known as Planet Ord, due to the weather on the base being different from the surrounding areas. I had a nice view of the ocean from my barracks window. Again, there was a culture shock - some of my friends were convinced that I had lived in a log cabin with no electricity. One of my most vivid memories was of the day I was standing in formation at Air Assault School and the ground began to shake. Our ruck sacks began bouncing across the ground. I was experiencing my first earthquake. This was the one that took down the Bay Bridges in San Francisco. That night we had to study for the next day's test with flashlights. Several days after the earthquake, the ground shook from tremors. I decided it might be good to move back to Iowa, because you can run away from a tornado, but there is no way to run from an earthquake.

In 1990, during my tour at Fort Ord, my unit was activated to "Operation Just Cause" in Panama. The ironic part was that exactly a year prior, my unit was in Panama for jungle training, and now we were going back for the real thing. We were deployed nearly four months, in which the majority of our missions were conducting patrols through towns where a suspected enemy was located. I gained a whole new respect for Viet Nam Vets after having to operate in the jungle. Even in the middle of the day, a person could be standing right next to you, and you wouldn't know it.

After being honorably discharged from active duty in 1990, I returned to Iowa and went back into the Army Reserve. After working at various factory jobs, I got smart and decided to go to college. I enrolled at Indian Hills College in Ottumwa. The best thing that happened to me in college was that I met the most wonderful woman, my wife Tammy. After dating for two months, I knew I wanted to spend the rest of my life with her. We were married on December 19, 1992. I was due to go back into active duty in two weeks, and my mother-in-law did the impossible - she put together the most elegant wedding imaginable. I left for Fort Hood, Texas, and Tammy followed after she finished college. We settled in Coppers Cove, Texas for three years while I was at Fort Hood. If we had taken all the bets about our marriage not surviving, we would be millionaires by now.

In 1995, I came out of active duty, so my military career has been back and forth between Reserves and military. I came back to National Guard duty and became an Army recruiter for six months. I decided I was tired of trying to lie to people, so I made a career change. In 1998, I applied to the Department of Public Safety, and was accepted. I attended the DPS Academy in Des Moines, and after graduation, I was assigned to the Capital Police Division for safety of the capital and Terrace Hill, to protect the governor.

Tammy and I wanted children, and when nothing was happening, we discovered the fault was with me. When that was corrected, Tammy became pregnant with Tara, who was born March 1, 2000. She gave us a scare. She was badly jaundiced and had to be kept at Blank Children's Hospital for several weeks. From then on, we discovered the joy of being parents and had a son, Christopher, on September 27, 2002.

In 2000, we moved from Des Moines to Osceola. We are now going on 13 years of being married, and are blessed with two children. When 9/11 happened, we knew the United States would retaliate somehow against that strike and became concerned that I would be going to Iraq. In the first rotation, one firefighter team was deployed, including a number of men from the 475th Engineer Detachment of Fire Fighters out of Creston. The rest of us just maintained our duty which consisted of one weekend a month and two months during the summer. In the next rotation, more of us were selected, and on November 11, 2003, I was called to report for 18 months of active duty. I gave two days notice that I wouldn't be working on my civilian job for awhile.

In January, we reported to Ft. Riley, Kansas, and on February 22nd I was on a plane to go to Iraq. Besides myself, there were two other soldiers, an officer and a Captain from Buffalo, New York. We deployed as a Headquarters Unit to be attached to a Fire Fighting Team in Iraq, stationed at Camp Anaconda, just north of Balad, about an hour north of Bagdad. It was one of larger logistical bases there, which originally was an Iraqi Air Force Base. We were fortunate because we had electricity, a movie theater, and an Olympic size swimming pool. Also, a lot of the buildings, like the administrative building, were already there. All we had to do was clean them up to make them operational.

On the north side of our camp there was a large dump that burned 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and the burning continues. I don’t know what was in it but it never went out. In part of the camp, there was some red stuff seeping out of the ground. Later I found that the red stuff was rocket fuel. At one time the area was used for the manufacturing of rockets.

On our camp, counting civilian and military personnel, the population was at least 20,000. We had an active airfield with every type of aircraft - from F1s to observation helicopters. The Air Force had the air field and the Army had the camp. We had infantry soldiers, whose duty was to round up civilians whom they had reason to believe were dangerous. They were also looking for weapons caches. There were mechanized soldiers, transportation units, and large convoys going in and out taking supplies back and forth. There were civilian contractors who drove the stuff up and down the roads, there were Filipinos and people of other third world countries who were contracted to cook the food, clean the port-a-johns; Iraqi people came in and cleared the roads.

When I first got to Camp Anaconda, there were a lot of tents, but when I left, it was the largest trailer court in the world because we'd replaced all the tents with double-wide trailers. Some were two-person trailers and all were air conditioned. When I was leaving, they were actually putting up two-story trailers - a trailer on top of another trailer. They were also putting in an electrical power circuit run off generators. The sewer systems were really messed up, and at the end of my tour of duty, they were just getting them cleaned out. They were going to start having running water.

The Army had 18 Fire Fighters, so our soldiers would operate 24 hours on duty, and 24 hours when they were not responsible for responding to an accident. The building we were in was actually the Fire Station, and we worked hand in hand with the MP (Military Police) and Medical units.

I was Fire Chief for the Army Fire Fighters in camp. There were three fire stations. We were responsible for the structures and vehicles of the logistical base. We had responsibility, also, outside the wire - the perimeter. For that we had a rapid air mobile squad. If there was an accident with a convoy, or something like that, we were responsible for loading equipment on the helicopter to be flown to the scene to perform extrication, give medical assistance, or whatever was needed.

I had the title of Fire Chief and was for fire protection, and second in command for any casualties that happened. We were told that we were the most attacked camp as far as mortars and rockets were concerned. This was kind of weird because the enemy didn't know how to arm a lot of stuff they put over the wire at us, so some of the rockets and mortars would just bounce up off the ground. The attacks were sporadic. There was awhile when it became kind of comical because, at 5:00, time for supper, they would send three mortars in. So about 5:00, we would go stand inside a hard structure. One would come and we would not go anywhere. We'd let that one pass. A few minutes later our "alarm red" would go off and there would be a couple more rounds. After that, we'd go eat. For weeks straight, we could set our watch by it. A lot of the rockets we wouldn't hear. Guys would be on work details and a rocket would come in and go sliding on down the road. They'd see it go by and call the Explosives Detail.

We had some close calls. They sent rockets in one time that went off real well. They shot up some trailers, and it was a wake-up call. The day before, we were standing right on the spot where the rounds hit, putting out a dumpster fire, so if it had come a day earlier, we'd have been in serious trouble. But we became so used to it that, after awhile, it hardly fazed us. The hard structure wouldn't have protected us if the rockets were set right. They would have gone right through the hard structure.

Not to take it lightly, but looking back on the casualties, we had a lower fatality rate than in New York City. Granted, there were injuries, but considering the number of rounds that actually came into that place, and the number of times they didn't hit anything, it was amazing. There is still a lot of work to be done there. This is not short term. The camp where I was is leased to our government for 99 years, so I don't see us leaving any time soon. We can't pull out. If we do, they will take back anything we've done, and they would be under another dictator.

While I was there, I was responsible for supplies, food, water, the training and equipment needed and I became the senior supervisor to make sure it all came together. I was the representative for the fire department to oversee safety violations, doing inspections of the tents and buildings, to make sure the soldiers were safe. We had a mass casualty event in the PX (postal exchange) where we had an attack resulting in several injuries and fatalities. I was the one to make sure of the operation, get people out, and make sure the building was safe, then to coordinate the work of the MPs and the Medics. I was the orchestrator to see that it all came together.

I know that I grew up a little bit more over there, because I'd never been in a situation where I was responsible for other peoples' lives. In other tours I had somebody above me, directing me what to do. This time I was in charge. But everybody I took over there came back. I have gained more respect for those who have served in previous wars.

It is interesting to realize that the land of lraq is the location of many Biblical stories. The country has been Babylon, the Land of Shinar, and Mesopotamia. The word Mesopotamia means between two rivers, that refers to the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. That was the location of the Garden of Eden. Other references in Genesis show this was the area of the flood and the Tower of Babel. Abraham, "the father of faith" for Jews and Muslims, was from Ur, which is in Southern Iraq. His descendants, Isaac and Jacob, married Iraqi women. On through the Bible, Babylon, which conquered and took Jews into exile in 597 B.C., is the present day Iraq. Thus, the book of Daniel is based in Iraq. In the New Testament, the Wise Men who brought gifts to Jesus were from Iraq. The apostle Peter preached in Iraq, and in Revelation, "The Empire of Man," Babylon, is Iraq. A canal off one side of the Tigris river ran down one side of our camp, and on the other sides, farmers' fields came up against the fence. A friend and I took a helicopter ride to another camp. At a stop between, we were actually at the gates of Babylon. We didn't have a chance to go inside, but we were at the gates. Babylon is used now for a refueling point.

While there are some Iraqi people who dress like we do, many haven't changed much in dress or culture from Bible times. As in our country, there are the poor and the rich. They still herd their sheep. The men I saw didn't work. They sat in the fields and the work was done by women and children. I didn't know how they did that with all their robes on. Before I went there, I thought it was all desert. Actually the area around our camp was pretty well propagated. They have mastered the art of irrigation. They had grape vineyards, watermelons, and tomatoes.

Flying over, you see mud huts, kids out playing, and some livestock. By our standards, the people had nothing, but by their standards they were doing all right. Now they are begging. Especially when convoys came by, kids who appeared to be about two years old were out on the dusty road by themselves begging for food. The parents sent them there and the younger and cuter they looked the more stuff the soldiers might give them. Even on the perimeter, kids were sneaking through the wire to steal stuff. Their way of life is totally different. All the time I was over there, I had no desire to learn their language or their ways.

When our soldiers were first being deployed, we were told we were not allowed to take Bibles or any kind of religious materials. This seemed strange because we were over there fighting for the United States. There were Iraqi people on our base, working on our camp. One of the guys, who was an interpreter, worked at our fire station. Some parts of the day, he would get a bucket of water, wash his feet, then get down and start bowing and praying. It didn't matter what else was going on. In Kuwait, we had a bus driver to take us from one point to another. One day we sat for an hour and did nothing while he and others went off together to pray. We learned red and white scarves worn by some men meant they had been on their religious pilgrimage, called the Hajj. We referred to them as "hajjis."

While I was there, guys were getting killed because the higher ups in the military didn't let us fight. We had to be shot at before we could shoot back. They are starting to change their attitude on that and are allowing us to fight back. It depends on where you are. Iraq is not the only problem. We also have Afghanistan which is becoming more of a problem.

In 1999, I became a Fire Fighter with the Creston unit. I am still in the reserves. I have 18 years in the service and still have a couple more years before I can retire. I can be called up if I am needed. I am the Fire Chief for the Fire Fighting unit in Creston, Iowa. I have nothing to do with the local fire fighters. That is just where I am stationed, and my position is the equivalent to First Sergeant in the Army Reserves. Basically my duties are to counsel and set up training for soldiers. This is more or less my part time job. For my actual day job, I work for the State Fire Marshall's office, with the Department of Public Safety.

The difference between the Army Reserve and National Guard is that the Army Reserve is Federal, and the National Guard is state. The Governor can activate the National Guard for floods and such disasters. Only the President has the power to activate Army Reserves. The Reserve Fire Fighting Unit is Federal. The Army Reserve and National Guard still have people in Iraq.

Sometimes I am asked my opinion of the situation in Iraq. I suppose we are accomplishing something. Good things are starting to happen. Their police force is starting to change, and the soldiers see a change. They are slowly starting to stand up for themselves more than they did. However, there are terrorist organizations and there is no way to fight them. They come in right behind us and blow up the police station, and Iraqi men who are working for us are facing death as soon as the terrorists find it out. One interpreter was car-jacked, beaten up, had guns pointed at his head, and his family members were killed, just because he associated with the United States. But they aren't targeting the United States now. They are doing this to their own people, which makes no sense at all. It's a messed up world.

My opinion is that if you are going to fight a war, you have to fight a war. You can't have war and peace at the same time. We are trying to win the hearts and souls of the people over there, and at the same time we are trying to fight a war. In my opinion, that is an impossible task. Either you are fighting them or you're not fighting them.

The United States is far too passive. We are at war without shutting down our borders. It seems to me, as things are right now, freedoms are only being taken away from you and me. We should be locking our borders down and cleaning house. If foreigners are here and don't have a passport, they should be sent home. You can't be a nice guy and, at the same time, take care of the business at hand. You are dealing with people who don't care if they die. In their minds, they are going to Allah, so there is no way to defend yourself against them.

When I think about this whole experience, it has nothing to do with Iraq. It was being separated from my wife and kids. Over there, there was a high divorce rate, and a lot of adultery among the U.S. troops. But for my wife and me, it made our marriage stronger. Before I left for Iraq, we bought two Marriage Devotional Bibles. I took one and she kept one. We e-mailed the devotions back and forth almost every day. Because of my position, I had some conveniences with computer and internet. Most of the devotionals had questions at the end which we answered, and because of that, instead of the distance taking us apart, we actually got to know one another a little more in depth. She has all the devotionals in a notebook. Most of them were about marriage and included how we feel about this or that in different situations. Sometimes it was easier to answer those in e-mails sent back and forth than if we were sitting face to face.

When I was in the military and sent to Panama, I had no one back home. This was a new experience. The hardest part was that I had three people whom I loved so much, and I was being pulled away from them. But my wife had an even harder job because she had to make all the decisions while I was away. She had to answer the kids' questions about where their daddy was. She handled it extremely well. While I was gone, both kids had their tonsils taken out. When I left, my boy was just starting to say a few words, and when I came back I could have little conversations with him. He was potty trained. Some people say kids don't understand what is going on, but I learned differently. Both of my kids said, "My daddy is in Iraq" when they were asked, or they would just inform someone. Tara and Christopher knew exactly where I was, but their concept of the whole situation was that Iraq was jail, because I couldn't come home. When I came back, I tried to take some of the problems from Tammy while I was trying to get my own problems taken care of. There was an adjustment period.

Writing these pages shows me what I already knew. God has blessed my life in so many ways that there is no way I can condense it in a few short pages. I could write for days and days and still not capture all the wonderful memories in my life. I know that what you have just read is incomplete and may not be as clear as it should be. However, rest assured that this man has shared a little bit of his life with you and would not change a thing. I look forward to each day, being able to hold my family tight and thank God for all the miracles in my life. Like the country song says, "Thank God for unanswered prayers!!!!"